CVE-2017-2518 in macOS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in certain Apple products. iOS before 10.3.2 is affected. macOS before 10.12.5 is affected. tvOS before 10.2.1 is affected. watchOS before 3.2.2 is affected. The issue involves the "SQLite" component. It allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (buffer overflow and application crash) via a crafted SQL statement.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2518 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within Apple's SQLite database implementation that affects multiple operating systems including iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS. This security weakness resides in the SQLite component that Apple integrates into their ecosystem, creating a potential attack surface that remote adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized system access or disrupt service availability. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the SQLite engine processes crafted SQL statements that exceed buffer boundaries, leading to unpredictable system behavior and potential code execution.
The technical nature of this flaw aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability operates through a classic buffer overflow mechanism where maliciously constructed SQL queries can trigger memory corruption within the SQLite processing engine. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting specially designed SQL statements that cause the database engine to write beyond allocated memory buffers, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes that result in denial of service conditions.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability affects a wide range of Apple devices and platforms, making it particularly dangerous due to its broad attack surface. The affected versions include iOS 10.3.1 and earlier, macOS 10.12.4 and earlier, tvOS 10.2.0 and earlier, and watchOS 3.2.1 and earlier, encompassing numerous consumer and enterprise devices that rely on Apple's ecosystem. The remote exploit capability means attackers do not require physical access to devices, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations and individuals who depend on Apple's security model. The potential for both arbitrary code execution and denial of service creates significant operational risks including data compromise, service disruption, and unauthorized access to sensitive information stored on affected devices.
The attack vector for this vulnerability demonstrates the sophistication of modern mobile and desktop security threats, where database engine components become primary targets for exploitation. This weakness exemplifies the challenges organizations face when integrating third-party components into their security infrastructure, as vulnerabilities in widely used libraries like SQLite can affect thousands of devices and applications. The remediation strategy requires immediate patch deployment across all affected platforms, with organizations needing to prioritize updating their Apple device fleets to versions that contain the necessary security fixes. Security teams should also implement network monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and consider temporary network isolation of affected devices until patches are deployed. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and demonstrates how seemingly minor database engine flaws can have significant implications for entire operating system ecosystems. Organizations should reference ATT&CK framework techniques related to privilege escalation and code execution to understand potential exploitation paths and implement appropriate defensive measures including network segmentation and application whitelisting to limit the impact of potential compromises.